Hydrangea plant named ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and strong stems; relatively small leaves; large mophead-type inflorescences; dark purple-colored sterile flowers that are initially light yellow green in color when plants are treated with aluminum sulfate; and early and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Aarslev, Denmark. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new container-type Hydrangea plants withstrong stems, early flowering response and attractive leaf and flowercoloration.

The new Hydrangea plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofHydrangea macrophylla ‘SchrollA02’, not patented. The new Hydrangeaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2014 as a singleflowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘SchrollA02’ in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Aarslev, Denmark.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings inAarslev, Denmark since 2014 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’ as a newand distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit and strong stems.    -   4. Relatively small leaves.    -   5. Large mophead-type inflorescences.    -   6. Dark purple-colored sterile flowers that are initially light        yellow green in color when plants are treated with aluminum        sulfate.    -   7. Early and long flowering period.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the mutationparent, ‘SchrollA02’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than and not as        vigorous as plants of ‘SchrollA02’.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more        rounded than and not as flat as inflorescences of plants of        ‘SchrollA02’.    -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘SchrollA02’ differ in        sterile flower color as plants of ‘SchrollA02’ have sterile        flowers that are blue in color when treated with aluminum        sulfate.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangeamacrophylla ‘H213901’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,221. Plantsof the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘H213901’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the Hydrangea are less vigorous than plants of        ‘H213901’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea flower earlier than plants of        ‘H213901’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea have more        sterile flowers than inflorescences of plants of ‘H213901’.    -   4. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea are flatter        than and not as folded and curly as sterile flowers of plants of        ‘H213901’.    -   5. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘H213901’ differ in sterile        flower color as plants of ‘H213901’ have sterile flowers that        are medium blue and medium purple in color when treated with        aluminum sulfate.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangeamacrophylla ‘H213906’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,509. Plantsof the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘H213906’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the Hydrangea are less vigorous than plants of        ‘H213906’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea flower later than plants of        ‘H213906’.    -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘H213906’ differ in sterile        flower color as plants of ‘H213906’ have sterile flowers that        are clear blue in color when treated with aluminum sulfate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance ofthe new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newHydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicaldeveloping inflorescence of ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’ (top of sheet) and adeveloped inflorescence of ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’ (bottom of sheet).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdescription were grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in aglass-covered greenhouse in Aarslev, Denmark and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. Plants of the newHydrangea were pinched one time and were one year old when thephotographs and description were taken. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. and light levels ranged from40 to 50 klux. Plants used for the description and photographs weretreated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘SCHROLL88-09-02’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Hydrangea    macrophylla ‘SchrollA02’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five            weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white, close            to N155D, in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub; compact, upright            and mounded plant habit; broadly inverted triangle; freely            branching habit with about four to six lateral branches            developing per plant; strong lateral branches; moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm to 45 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm to 30 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 6 mm. Internode length: About 7 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; becoming woody with            development. Color, developing: Close to 144A. Color,            developed: Close to 199B. Color, lenticels: Close to N199B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute or sub-acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse to rounded.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Rugose, glabrous;            moderately glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Rough, glabrous;            prominent venation; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            146B; venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm            to 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.-   Inflorescence & flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Showy single sterile and            inconspicuous single fertile flowers arranged on terminal            mophead-type panicles; panicles hemispherical to flattened            globular in overall shape; fertile flowers face mostly            upright and sterile flowers face upright to outwardly; early            flowering habit, plants begin flowering about ten and twelve            weeks after planting during the summer and winter,            respectively.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the            summer in Northern Europe.        -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last less than            one month; fertile flowers not persistent.        -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Long flowering period,            flowers last about four months on the plant; sterile flowers            persistent.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit with about 30 to            40 fertile flowers and about 100 sterile flowers per            panicle.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Panicle height.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.        -   Panicle diameter.—About 14 cm to 17 cm.        -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 4 mm.        -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 5 cm to 6 cm.        -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower shape, fertile flowers.—Deltoid.        -   Flower shape, sterile flowers.—Deltoid.        -   Flower buds, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:            About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Flower buds, sterile flowers.—Length: About 3.5 mm.            Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Flattened globular.            Color: Close to 144C becoming closer to 92A with            development.        -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Quantity and arrangement: Four            or five in a single whorl; valvate. Length: About 3.5 mm.            Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Subacute. Base:            Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 149B. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 98A; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four to            five in a single whorl; valvate. Length: About 2.5 mm.            Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Subacute. Base:            Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 98A. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 98A; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four to            five in a single whorl; imbricate. Length: About 1.8 cm to            2.2 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm to 2.2 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:            Subacute. Base: Cordate to rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Rugose, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 149D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 83A and 79A to 79B; color does not change with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 79C;            color does not change with development.        -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm to 4 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect:            About 35° to 40° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to N79C.        -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.            Diameter: About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            About 35° to 40° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to N79C.        -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity            per flower: About eight or rarely, ten. Filament length:            About 1 mm to 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 98A. Anther            length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther shape: Two-lobed,            conical. Anther color: Close to 98A. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil            quantity per flower: About three. Pistil length: About 2 mm            to 2.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped, thick. Stigma color:            Close to 160C. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close            to 160C.        -   Seeds.—Quantity: Numerous. Color: Close to 200C.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been    observed to be resistant to spider mites and aphids; plants of the    new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens    and other pests common to Hydrangea plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from −5° C. to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named‘SCHROLL88-09-02’ as illustrated and described.